The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-07
Probability that the Present Week May
Witness the Preliminary Moves.
Bismarck Will Claim that France Sought to
Form ar Alliance Against Germany, and
Will at Once Push Matters to a Crisis.
All Other European Issues 0vershad-
owed by the Gravity of the Outlook.
Indications that Windthorst Is No Match for
Prince Bismarck, and that the German
Party of the Center Will Be Disrupted.
FRANCE AND GERMANY.

FRANCE AND GERMANY.
Indications that the Present Week Will Be
Crowded with Important Events.
NEW YORK, Feb 6-The Timess London ca
BILE special says 'It is my information that be-
fore Thursday next either Germany will repre-
sent to France that General Boulanger must get
out or some equally overt provocation in some
other form will be given. This is grave asser-
ton to make, but the story comes to me so
straight that cannot refuse to give it weight.
Nor is it safe to rush off with the assumption
that this is strictly case of the wolf and the
lamb 1t is true, very true. that the French, as
a people, are anxious to avoid war; it is also evil
dent that the Frence Ministry is going out of its
way to avoid affordine Germany the slightest
shadow of a pretext for attack. In fact, the
solicitude of everybody in Paris to say and do
nothing which by implication could offend Bis
marck is really pathetic. So strenuous is the
watch now kept every tongue, the
harmful echoes Of which might reach
the Chancellor's ear, that the London
correspondents in Paris are submitted to re-
straints, and in two cases that have come to my.
personal knowledge they are sending their Lon
the pacific, almost pleading, tone of their public
dispatches But the universal desire of the
great nation for the blessings of peace, though
very touching sentiment. will not weigh much
| in the scale Of the worlds opinion if Bismarck
should be able to show. next week, for example,
| that the same nation two months ago was
| eagerly seeking an ally for combined descent
| on Germany. upon no pretext whatever. get
| a hint that Bismarck really has some proof of
| this Sort which he is going to spring next week
| as final trump in the electoral campaign.
"If he can show that France. in December,
made overtures to another power. probably
Russia, for the annihilation of the German en-
| pire and in February only desires peace because
the overtures ere rejected. he willhave strong
case for attack. IL judging Germanys course
| day by day, it must not be forgotten that every
thing is done for domestic as we'll as for for
| eign purpose. Up to certain point the tworun
| parallel for the condition of threatened war
with France is the condition promising the most
| government votes in the new Rechstag. There
| Is growing belief that Bismarck will get ma
i iority for the septennate Much of this conf
dence is based on the action of the Vatican in
throwing over Windthorst. as predicted fort
night ago it would. The aged Hanoverian
leader has fought for the rights of Catholicism
only now to be tossed aside by Rome without a
scruple just as Ireland for centuries suffered in
her cause only to be handed over by the Vatican
| to English mercies for the sake of q few titled
converts. But it may be doubted If this fine
Italian hand does not overreach itself. Refec-
tions reach me of the feeling in Berlin that such
an open commercial alliance with Rome is quite
likely to ALLEVIATE more voters than it attracts.
Unauestionably il would were it not for the fact
that Bismarck and Moltke both held out the
plain threat that the rejection of the septennate
meant immediate war.
.But hear the German public is coming tc
the conclusion that war is intended in either
case. 1t would not be nearly SO unpopular there
as in France. The Germans remember what
the needle-gun did for them in 1866, and if they
must fight, it is better to 60 in again while the
enemy is unwilling and unprepared. In the
presence of this prospective struggle territory
within few hours Of London the question Of
Russian prohibition of the sale of horses, o.
Austrian armament and of Roumanian mobiliza
tion fade into the distance as distractions
From the English papers one would scarcely
Eastern question, 80 suddenly hat
the cloud over the Rhine veilet
from view the Balkan matter. In fact, things
there are about in statu quo, save that Turke,
has unexpectedly turned up on the side of tn,
Regents in the preliminary conference, ana ha
ruled Zankoff out of court This only strength
ems the conclusion pointed at in these columns
! long ago. Russia in cul de sac, must eithe
turn tail and retreat, or try to smash the obsta
Gle, and the balance of probabilities favors he
choice of the latter.
IT learn tonight that the English War Office
owing to the prohibition in Hungary, Austr
and Germany. is about to make large purchase
of horses in America. 1t is said that agents ar
already on their way to Kentucky for that pur
pose.'
Three of the largest paper manufacturers il
!, Germany have instructed their agents in Enc
. land not to enter into fresh contracts for sur
) plies of paper. because they have reason t
> believe that ths port of Hamburg is likely to b
closed soon, in consequence of war;
THE CAMPAIGN IN GERMANY
A Catholic Reaction Which Promises to Dis
rupt the Party of the Center
: ! BERLIN. Feb. 5.-The Catholic reaction te
. ward the septennate is setting in SO stronel
that DR.. Windthorst must either declare i